Band clip having closing worm gear



y 1949- c. w. CHENEY 2,477,045

BAND CLIP HAVING CLOSING WORM-GEAR Filed March 9, 1944 0 f I .6. 00000000000000 I 05 fi 10, 0 f F? 1 *?783 6 a i? 0000000000630 00000 00 0 \NENTOR. Char WHhQm Qlhenex Patented July 26, 1949 BAND CLIP HAVING CLOSING WORM GEAR Charles. William Cheney, Soho, Birmingham, England Application March 9, 1944, Serial No. 525,639 In Great. Britain May '1, 1943' 4. Claims. 1

The invention relates to a band clip of that well-known kind having closing Worm-gear and embodying a strip band-member of flexible metal whose one end is formed with a longitudinal line of transverse worm teeth and whose other end is fixed to a rigid tubular housing wherein a worm is closely mounted for revolution only, and through which the one and free end of the band member, formed with the worm-teeth, is threaded to be engaged by the worm; so that rotation of the worm within the housing will close and open the band as required.

A well known and extensively used band clip of this kind is distinctive by the worm teeth of the band-member being machined within the thickness of the band-member, i. e. without breakin through to the inner surface of said band'- member.

In a band clip having closing worm-gear of the kind hereinbefore described th invention pro vides a combination of parts connected with the worm, tubular housing, and the application of the worm to the housing; said combination of parts being applicable jointly to the kind of band clip first referred to, but having particular application to the one in which the worm-teeth in the free end of the band-member are machined to lie Within the thickness of the band-member itself.

A worm-geared band clip according to the invention combines a band-member having worm teeth aforesaid, a rigid tubular housing fixed to the other end of the band-member, a worm liar" ing an annular neck and disposed within the housing to be engaged by the worm teeth of the band-member, and a gapped abutment-washer closed around the neck of the worm to position it thereon transversely to said worm and to the housing to operate against said housing as a pull up abutment.

The invention also provides a combination wherein the tubular housing has a transverse gal engaged by the abutment-washer, said transverse gap providing opposed abutment surfaces for the washer for both pull-up and release stresses.

The invention further combines in a wormgeared band clip of the kind other combinations of parts, all based upon the worm having an annular neck, and an abutment-washer to transversely engage said neck, and; wh ch other parts will be hereinafter clearly and fully described with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.

Fig. 1 represents a complete worm-geared band clip according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an axial section through the housing of the band clip and through the fixed end of the band-member.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. 2 on the dotted lines AB.

2 Fig. 4 shows an end view of the housing, sepa rately.

Fig. 5 is an axial section of the housing, separately; 5 Fig. 6 shows a side-view of the gapped; abutmerit-washer.

Fig. 7 is a central cross-sectionof Fig. 6-.

Fig. 8 shows the worm, separately.

Fig. 9 represents the fixable end of the band.- member, separately.

Fig. 10 is. an axial section similar to Fig. 2 but without the transverse gapin the housing.

Fig. 11 shows a detail of the .free end of the band-member having the worm teeth in it.

The modification shown in Fig. 10 is the sub- .ject matter of a copending divisional application, Ser. No. 702,515, filed October 10, 1944i- Fig. 1 shows a kind of band clip to which the invention relates, and also a band c-lipaccording to the invention, both combining a band-member 2 of flexible metal strip, a, rigid; tubular housing 3 fixed to the end. 2a of the band-member, and a worm 4, disposed closely within the housing 5 and having a worm thread 4a to engage with worm-teeth 2e formed on the exterior surface of the free end 20 of the band-memb-er, said teeth being usually machined within the thickness of the band-member so as not to break through to the inner surface 2d thereof. The worm teeth 22 in the free and 2c are normal practice in such a clip, and in themselves do notv form. any material part of the invention, and need only be worm teeth of a suitable kind.

The essential features of the combination according to the invention. are an annular neck 5 on the worm 4, and a gapped abutment-washer 6 to engage said neck and operate thereon transversely against the housing 3; while a further feature of the invention is the combination with the neck 5 and abutment-washer 6 of a transverse gap 1 in the housing 3 to receive the abutment-washer 6 which becomes fixed on the neck 5 and within the gap 1.

The rigid tubular housing 3' is semi-circular at its upper portion 8, and of oblong box form at its base 9, the sides of the upper portion a depending into the top wall of. said base 9. As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 the upper portion 8 of the housing 3 is transversely gapped at I, while in Fig. 10 said housing 3 is not provided with this gap.

The worm 4 in- Fi-gs. 1 to 3 and 8 is of the same external diameter from its head end ID to its other end I I, except for the annular neck 5 which is approximately the diameter of the bottom of the worm thread to of said worm, so that this worm canbe conveniently and cheaply produced from rod.

The worm 4 in Fig. 10 has at its end remote from its head a shank I2, to receive an ordinary circular washer l3 to abut against the end of the worm thread 4a and against the adjacent end of the housing, and over which washer the shank is riveted as clearly shown at M b the drawing. The worm Fig. can also be produced quickly and cheaply from rod. 1

It is clearly illustrated in the drawings how the upper portion 8 of the housing 3 closely contains the worm 4, and how the box base 9 is suitable to closely contain both overlying ends of the band-member 2, the one end 2a of said bandmember being electrically welded at I5 to said box base 9, and the worm-toothed end being threadable between the fixed end 2a and the teeth of the worm 4; and in connection with this box base 9 the inner surface thereof it opposin the Worm is in part arranged flat and parallel with the axis of the worm 4, to provide a fiat anvil for the fixed end 211 of the flexible band-member 2 to conform to, so that more teeth of the worm and band are in engagement than would bethe case if the opposing surface It were curved to the effective diameter of the band; this feature being of great importance in worm-geared band clips of small diameter.

Figs. 2 and 3 show'clearly the gapped abutment-Washer 6 closed around the annular neck 5 and fitting within the transverse gap 1 with its shoulders 5a engaging the bottom 1a and with its front and rear surfaces engaging the sides 1b of the gap I.

Fig. 10 shows a gapped abutment-washer 6 used around the neck 5 but without-a gap in the housing 3, and in substitution therefor the shank l2, washer I 3 and riveting [4 before described, the washer [3 to pull up against the one end of the housing and take the opening stresses, and the gapped abutment-washer 6 to operate against the other end of the housing 3 and take the closing stresses. I

In the production of a clip according to the invention it is important that the worm be strongly built, and also be cheaply produced (i. e. from one diameter of rod), and that the gappedwasher 6 be applied adjacent the head of the worm, and preferably also within a transverse gap! of the housing. 1

' What I claim is:

1. In a worm geared band clip the combin ation of a rigid worm housing adapted to be fixed to one end of a band member and to, receive the other end thereof which is provided with worm teeth, a worm disposed with its threaded part in said housing and being provided rearwardly of the point where its thread engages the worm teeth with a circular neck of a diameter less than that of the worm thread, and a, gapped abutment washer closed around the'neck of the worm with sufficient play to permit rotation of the Worm in the washer, the latter cooperating with said housingto transmit axial stresses acting on said worm in at least the band tensioning direction to said housing, said abutment washer being provided with shoulders which rest against a lower part of ,said housing so as to support the worm vertically.

2. In a worm geared band clip, the combination of a rigid worm housing adapted to be fixed to one end of a band member and to receive the other end thereof which is, provided with worm teeth, said housing having a transverse gap, a worm disposed with its threaded part in said housing and provided with a circular neck of a '4 diameter less than that of the worm thread, said neck being aligned with said transverse gap in said housing, and a gapped abutment washer closed around the neck of the worm with sufficient play to permit rotation of the worm in the washer, the latter projecting radially into said 3. In a worm geared band clip, the'combina- 7 tion of a rigid worm housing adapted to be fixed to one end of a band member and to receive the other end thereof which is provided with worm teeth, a worm disposed with its threaded part in said housing and being provided rearwardly of the point where'its thread engages the worm teeth with a circular neck of less diameter than that of the worm thread, said neck being aligned with a transverse gap provided in said housing and a'gapped abutment washer closed around the neck of the worm with sufficient play to permit rotation of said worm in said washer and projecting radially into said gap for cooperation with at least one side wall of the latter to transmit axial stresses acting on said wormin at least the band tensioning direction to said housing, said abutment washer being provided with shoulders which rest against a lower part of said housing so as to support the worm vertically.

4. In a worm-geared band clip, the combination of a rigid worm housing adapted to be fixed to one end of a band member and to receive the other end thereof which is provided with worm teeth, a worm disposed-with its threaded part in said housing and being provided'rearwardly of the point where its thread engages the worm teeth with a circular neck of less diameter than that of the worm thread, said neck being aligned with a transverse gap provided in said housing and a gapped abutment washer closedaround the neck of the worm with sufficient play to permit rotation of said worm in said washer and projecting radially into said gap for co-operation with both side walls; of the latter to transmit axial stresses acting on said worm in both directions to said housing, said abutment washer be,-

ing provided with shoulders which rest against a lower part of said housing so as to support the worm vertically,

CHARLES WILLIAM CHENEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 13, 1940 

